In the 18th century, the Swedish government made coffee and its paraphernalia (including cups and dishes) illegal for its supposed ties to rebellious sentiment.
COCKATRICE
cockatrice
(noun) monster hatched by a reptile from a cock’s egg; able to kill with a glance
Source: WordNet® 3.1
Etymology
Noun
cockatrice (plural cockatrices)
(mythology) A legendary creature about the size and shape of a dragon or wyvern, but in appearance resembling a giant rooster, with some lizard-like characteristics.
Coordinate terms: basilisk, wyvern
Hypernym: chimera
(obsolete) Mistress, harlot.
(fantasy, folklore) A snake or serpent that appears to be hatched of a rooster, or cock's, egg.
(speculated) The cobra.
(obsolete, figurative) Any venomous or deadly thing.
Source: Wiktionary
Cock"a*trice (-tris; 277), n. [OF. cocatrice crocodile, F. cocatrix, cocatrice. The word is a corruption from the same source as E. crocodile, but was confused with cock the bird, F. coq, whence arose the fable that the animal was produced from a cock's egg. See Crocodile.]
1. A fabulous serpent whose breath and look were said to be fatal. See Basilisk.
That bare vowel, I, shall poison more Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice. Shak.
2. (Her.) A representation of this serpent. It has the head, wings, and legs of a bird, and tail of a serpent.
3. (Script.) A venomous serpent which which cannot now be identified.
The weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice's [Rev. Ver. basilisk's] den. Is. xi. 8.
4. Any venomous or deadly thing.
This little cockatrice of a king. Bacon.
Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition
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COMMUNICATIONS
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